About this blog

Eco-Journey is the blog of the Environmental Ministries Office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It includes a wide array of environmental topics: upcoming environmental events, links to interesting articles and studies, information on environmental advocacy, eco-theology topics, and success stories from churches that are going “green.”

Author Rebecca Barnes is the Associate for Environmental Ministries at the PC(USA). She is a graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary with an MDiv and Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) dual degree.

Last Thursday and Friday, several tribes from the Northwest held a long-planned joint press conference, ceremony and conference establishing a strong alliance against fossil fuel exports. At the Thursday night Ceremony at Golden Gardens park in Seattle ...

As summer draws near, it is time to prepare for heat awareness. A week ago (May 24, 2013) was NWS NOAA Heat Awareness Day. It is important during these extremely hot days that you take care of your body. Also, know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stress. Please remember to stay cool, drink plenty of water, and keep up-to-date about heat advisories in your area. Being knowledgeable and aware of extreme heat is very important. Please keep informed and inform others!

To become more prepared visit the CDC’s website for Emergency Preparedness and Response: http://www.bt ...

Earlier this summer some shocking research was published on health risks associated with mountaintop removal coal mining (learn more about this practice). The study looked at 1.9 million live births from 1996 to 2003 in Central Appalachia. Separating births by counties with no mining, mountaintop removal mining, other mining, and, it was found that birth defects were more prevalent in counties with mountaintop removal mining.

After adjusting for other factors that may affect birth defect rates (such as mother’s age, prenatal care, etc.), it was found that birth defects were significantly higher in counties with mountaintop removal mining from both 1996-1999 and 2000-2003. In the later period, from 2000-2003, birth defects in counties with mountaintop removal mining were 42 percent higher.

The effect of mountaintop removal mining on birth defects is even stronger than the effect of a mother smoking during pregnancy. View a fact sheet with more information on this new MTR study from the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program has created a new webpage with resources related to trade reform. Trade issues and eco-justice are inextricably intertwined, and this page has great resources for Presbyterians to learn what our reformed tradition has to say about just trade. Explore this new webpage at www.pcusa.org/trade, download the posters related to just trade, and learn more about how to advocate for just trade.

Presbyterian policy on just trade approved by the 215th General Assembly in 2003 calls Presbyterians to

"Support efforts to strive toward international cooperation based on fair trade, respect for diversity, and ...

This week the House is considering a bill that would reduce funding for clean air and clean water by more than 15 percent forcing communities around the country to deal with water pollution from other states and more kids vulnerable to asthma. We are called to be good stewards of God’s good Earth and to protect vulnerable populations in particular from harm. Over the last 40 year, we have experienced an increase in air and water quality due in part to government policy that sets strong standards ...